Structural element for the building trade

ABSTRACT

A structural element for use as a brick, construction block, panel, floor or suchlike in the building trade, comprises at least one part made of conglomerate material, such as concrete and suchlike, to which an insert made of insulating or filling material is constrained, to define peripherally at least a connection face for connection to another structural element, the connection face has visible a first surface of the insert and at least a connected second surface of the part made of conglomerate material. On the connection face one or more other structural elements are able to be combined, along a support plane (R, R 1 , R 2 ) provided in correspondence with the connection face, so as to be laid and stably connected by means of a layer of binder material. The second surface has a seating made longitudinally and lowered with respect to the support plane (R, R 1 , R 2 ), on which seating the layer of binder material is located. The seating has a determinate depth (D), with respect to the support plane (R, R 1 , R 2 ). The depth (D) is correlated to the predefined thickness of the binder material to be laid.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to a structural element for the buildingtrade, and to one of its components, to the relative machine and themethod to make it, such as for example a brick, a block, a panel, afloor or other similar artifacts made of conglomerate material, such asconcrete, with a cement or other base, provided with one or more insertsmade of insulating material, such as polystyrene, or similar heat/soundinsulating materials or a filling material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to make construction blocks, consisting of two load-bearingparts made of concrete, one facing the outside and one the inside, andof one or more heat/sound insulating elements made of shaped polystyreneor a filling material, interposed between the two load-bearing parts.

Usually, the insulating or filling elements are made solid with theload-bearing parts by means of adhesives or other binding techniques.Examples of a machine and method to make such construction blocks can befound in patent application UD2007A0000130 filed in the name of theApplicant.

One disadvantage of known construction blocks is that they needparticular and complicated strategies to lay the mortar, or other bindermaterial, on the relative support planes of each block, to achieve astable connection between one block and the other.

These strategies are, in particular, intended to prevent unwantedamounts of mortar from being deposited on the visible surfaces of thepolystyrene insulating elements.

The intention in fact is to avoid creating heat bridges due to thepositioning of the mortar upon the insulation, between the two parts ofthe concrete block, the internal and the external part, which wouldcompromise the attempt to reduce the overall heat transmittance of thewalls of the building between the inside and the outside.

Such strategies are achieved by putting a ribbon of material on thevisible insulating parts in order to cover them and protect them fromthe mortar, by spreading the layer of mortar and subsequently removingthe ribbon, so as to be able to locate the next construction block onthe mortar. In this way there is no laying of the mortar on top of theinsulation, but it is a complex, laborious and costly procedure.

Purpose of the present invention is to create a structural element, andrelative machine and method to make it, formed from at least one partmade of conglomerate material and from an insert made of insulating orfilling material, constrained to each other, which allows easyinstallation, avoiding the formation of heat bridges due to the layingof mortar on top of the insulating elements.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention toovercome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain theseand other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independentclaims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of theinvention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purpose, a structural element according tothe present invention is suitable for to be used as a brick,construction block, panel, floor or suchlike in the building trade.

The structural element comprises at least a part made of conglomeratematerial such as concrete or similar, to which an insert made ofinsulating material, such as a sound/heat insulator like polystyrene, orfilling material, is constrained, so as to define peripherally at leasta connection face for connection to another structural element.

The connection face has a first surface of the insert visible and atleast a second connected surface of said at least one part made ofconglomerate material.

On the connection face, one or more other structural elements are ableto be combined, along a support plane provided in correspondence withsaid connection face, in order to be laid and stably connected by meansof a layer of binder material such as mortar.

Here and in the following description, by mortar we mean a bindermaterial for structural/construction elements formed by a mixture of anagglomerative material or binder (lime, cement) with a finely dividedinert material (sand) and water, used as an essential constituent ofbuilding works.

As a conglomerate material a cement concrete conglomerate can be used,but also volcanic lapillus, tar concrete, or other similar materials.

According to a first feature of the present invention, the secondsurface has a seating made longitudinally and lowered with respect tosaid support plane, and the layer of binder material is located on saidseating. The seating has a determinate depth, with respect to thesupport plane, which is correlated to the predefined thickness of thebinder material to be laid.

The structural element according to the present invention, thanks to thelowered seating made on the upper face or to the lowered seatingsaccording to the possible variants, which confines and contains thelayer of binder material, substantially functioning as a housingchannel, allows an easy laying without the binder material going on thesurface of the insert, preventing the formation of heat bridges due tothe positioning of mortar on top of the inserts.

Advantageously, the lowered seating is made from side to side along thewhole length, or the height, according to the possible variants, of thestructural element, so that the layer of binder material can bedistributed all along the length or height, achieving the best possiblebinding.

According to a variant, said seating involves the whole width of thesecond surface.

Alternatively, said seating involves a part of the width of the secondsurface.

According to one form of embodiment, the first surface of the insert ison a level with the height of the relative support plane.

Typically, the structural element has a first connection face normallyable to be disposed horizontally, so that another structural element canbe combined above it, and second lateral connection faces, normally ableto be disposed vertically, so that another structural element can becombined next or adjacent to it.

According to a variant, the structural element comprises at least twoparts made of conglomerate material provided laterally, between which atleast said insert is located and constrained.

In this variant, two lowered seatings are provided, or rather a seatingfor each of the two second upper surfaces of the two parts made ofconglomerate material.

According to a variant of the structural element of the presentinvention, given that the insert is provided to extend along thelongitudinal median axis of said upper face, the lowered seatings aremade on one side and the other side of said longitudinal median axis.

Alternatively, the structural element is provided with two lateralinserts, between which said part made of conglomerate material islocated and constrained.

Other variants and combinations of several parts made of conglomeratematerial coupled and alternated with several inserts are possible, forexample with a “multi-layered sandwich” structure, according to thespecific construction requirements.

According to a second feature of the present invention, the structuralelement has protruding elements made on the second surfaces of the partsmade of conglomerate material, in correspondence with the periphery, orexternal edge, of the connection face, typically the horizontal face,which have a height which is level with the support plane.

According to this latter solution, the upward extension of theprotruding elements is preferably equal to the value of the depth of thelowered seatings.

Particularly, the protruding elements make the walls which laterallydelimit, toward the outside of the element in an opposite position tothe insert, said lowered seatings, so that they are flush with theinsert of insulating or filling material.

More precisely, the protruding elements can be disposed on the externalside of the second surface, in correspondence with the maximum width ofthe structural element.

The protruding elements, being advantageously disposed on the peripheryand therefore allowing a stable and balanced support of everything,allow the weight to be discharged, both of the structural element itselfwhen it is resting on the ground with the upper face facing downward,and also of other structural elements located on top of it, not only onthe insulating insert, but also on the surface of the peripheralprotruding elements, uniformly distributing the loads and preventing theinsulating insert from being misshapen or ruined.

The protruding elements, advantageously, also function as referencenotches during the laying of the structural elements, allowing a precisealignment of the wall that is to be made.

According to a variant, the protruding elements are disposed on theexternal side of the upper surface or surfaces of the parts made ofconglomerate material provided on the upper face of the structuralelement, in correspondence with the maximum width of the structuralelement itself.

According to one form of embodiment, the protruding elements aredisposed according to a predetermined repeated geometry.

According to a variant, the protruding elements are disposed equidistantfrom each other.

According to another variant, the protruding elements are disposed inpairs close together, equidistant from other pairs of protrudingelements.

According to another form of embodiment of the present invention, theinsert and the parts made of conglomerate material have on the peripherya plurality of respective first and second anchoring ribs, for exampleswallow-tailed, T-shaped or other suitable shapes, able to cooperatewith mating first and second longitudinal grooves disposed respectivelyon the faces of the parts made of conglomerate material and the insert,in order to achieve a constraint of the insert and the parts made ofconglomerate material.

In this way a monolithic structural element is achieved that as a wholeis load-bearing and resistant to loads.

According to a variant, the second ribs of the parts made ofconglomerate material extend in height, remaining under the level of thesupport plane by a determinate amount.

In particular, the second ribs may extend as far as the bottom of theseatings so that the space affected by said seatings extends at least asfar as the wall of the insert made of insulating or filling material.

According to a third feature, an insert made of insulating or fillingmaterial according to the present invention is able to be constrained toat least a part made of conglomerate material, such as concrete andsuchlike, in order to achieve a structural element for use as a brick,construction block, panel, floor or suchlike in the building trade, asdescribed above.

The insert is shaped so as to have an extension in height as far as thelevel of the support plane, so that there is on said second surface alongitudinal seating lowered with respect to the support plane.

The insert according to the present invention is provided on theperiphery, on the internal or external walls, with a plurality of firstanchoring ribs, and corresponding first longitudinal seatings able tocooperate respectively with mating second longitudinal grooves andsecond anchoring ribs provided on the part made of conglomerate materialin order to achieve the constraint of the parts made of conglomeratematerial and the insert.

The present invention also concerns a machine for the production ofstructural elements for use as a brick, construction block, panel, flooror suchlike in the building trade, as described above.

The machine comprises at least a molding member, loading means to loadsaid inserts, means to deposit said conglomerate material, and aleveling element able to be moved on a plane above said molding memberso as to act, by means of a scraper edge, on said structural elements.The molding member is open at the upper part and said loading means andsaid deposit means are selectively positionable above said moldingmember, in order to load and deposit from above, respectively, saidinserts and said conglomerate material, into said molding member, inorder to achieve said structural elements.

The molding member and the scraper edge are shaped and configured so asto define, on said second surface of said part made of conglomeratematerial, a seating made longitudinally and lowered with respect to thesupport plane.

According to a variant, the machine comprises a thruster elementdisposed above the molding member and able to thrust said inserts fromthe top downward, from the loading means, inside said molding member.

The thruster element has a comb element which is shaped and configuredso as to mold, in its downward movement, protruding elements made on thesecond surfaces of the parts made of conglomerate material, incorrespondence with the periphery or outer edge of the connection face,typically the horizontal one, which protruding elements have a heightsuch as to be level with the support plane.

A method according to the present invention is used for the productionof structural elements for use as a brick, construction block, panel,floor or suchlike in the building trade, as described above.

The method according to the present invention provides a shaping step inwhich, by means of a molding member and a leveling element provided witha scraper edge, at least a seating made longitudinally and lowered withrespect to the support plane is defined on said second surface of saidpart made of conglomerate material.

According to a variant, the method provides a thrust step, by means of athruster member disposed above the molding member, in which said insertsare thrust from the top downward, from the loading means, inside saidmolding member, and, in the downward movement, structural elements aremolded by means of a comb element of said thruster member, suitablyshaped and configured; the protruding elements are made on the secondsurfaces of the parts made of conglomerate material, in correspondencewith the periphery or external edge of the connection face, normally thehorizontal one, and have a height such as to be level with the supportplane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description of a preferential form ofembodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to theattached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a structural element according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a plane view of the structural element in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a plurality of structural elementsaccording to the present invention, laid in making a wall;

FIG. 3 a is a schematic view of two combined structural elementsaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional view of the structural element in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a variant of a structural element according tothe present invention;

FIG. 6 is a plane view of the structural element in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows schematically a longitudinal section of a machine for theproduction of structural elements for the building trade according tothe present invention in a first operating condition;

FIG. 8 shows schematically a longitudinal section of the machine in FIG.7 in a second operating condition;

FIG. 9 shows schematically a longitudinal section of the machine in FIG.7 in a third operating condition;

FIG. 10 shows schematically a longitudinal section of the machine inFIG. 7 in a fourth operating condition;

FIG. 11 shows schematically a longitudinal section of the machine inFIG. 7 in a fifth operating condition;

FIG. 12 shows schematically a longitudinal section of the machine inFIG. 7 in a sixth operating condition;

FIG. 13 shows schematically a longitudinal section of the machine inFIG. 7 in a seventh operating condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1, a construction block 10 according to thepresent invention is formed by two parts 24, 26, made of conglomeratematerial, such as cement concrete, facing each other, between which aninsert 25 made of insulating material is constrained, such as a panelmade of heat/sound insulating polystyrene. It is also possible to useother polymers or other insulating materials, also of natural origin,such as wood, or simply filling materials.

The overall shape of the block 10 is traditional, that is, a rectangularparallelepiped, typical of bricks or construction blocks usually used inthe building trade to make the walls of a building.

Both the parts 24, 26 made of conglomerate material, and also the insert25 have first 28 and second 31 swallow-tailed ribs, which between themdefine respective and complementary first 30 and second 33 longitudinalgrooves. Instead of the swallow-tailed section a T-shape could be used.

The parts 24 26 and the insert 25 are constrained together by couplingthe first ribs 28 with the first grooves 30 of the parts 24, 26 and thecorresponding coupling of the second ribs 31 with the second grooves 33(FIGS. 2 and 4).

The block 10 is thus a monolithic structural body, having a structurethat, all in all, is load-bearing, for the purposes of calculatingresistance to loads, and not only the parts 24, 26 made of conglomeratematerial.

The block 10 has six faces in all, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22: threeconnection faces 12, 20, 22 for the stable connection with other blocks10 so as to form a classic wall structure, as can be seen for example inFIG. 3.

In particular, there is an upper face 12, typically able to be disposedhorizontal, and lateral faces 20, 22, on the right and left in FIG. 2,typically able to be disposed vertical.

The upper face 12 defines an upper support plane R, to allow the uppercombination of a block 10.

The lateral faces 20, 22 define relative lateral support plane R1, R2,to allow the lateral combination of a relative block 10.

Furthermore, there are two front faces 16, 18, typically one able toface toward the inside of the building and the other toward the outside(FIGS. 1 and 2), and a lower face 14, which is normally located on otherblock 10.

In this case, the overall height H of the block 10 is 250 mm (calculatedin correspondence with the support plane R), with a width W of 350 mmand a length of 500 mm.

A layer of mortar 40, laid on the upper face 12 and on the lateral faces20, 22, determines a stable connection to the blocks 10 located aboveand at the side, when the wall is laid.

Through holes 32 are provided, transverse to the upper face 12, for thepassage and accommodation of cables, pipes or other elements of theinstallation.

The upper face 12 is divided into a surface 23, in this case median,defined by the visible protrusion of the insert 25, and two surfaces 27,29 defined by the parts 24, 26, as can be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4.

The lateral faces 20, 22, in a similar way, have surfaces 19, 21, on theright and left in FIG. 2, located centrally and defined by the insert25, and lateral surfaces 35, 37 and 39, 41, defined by the parts 24, 26.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, both the surfaces 27, 29 of the upperface 12, and also the surfaces 35, 37 and 39, 41 of the lateral faces20, 22 have respective lowered seatings 34, 36, 43, 45 and 47, 49, madelongitudinally, for the whole length of the block 10, respectively onthe parts 24 and 26, on the left and on the right of the insert 25positioned between the parts 24 and 26.

In particular, with regard to the upper face 12, the surface 27 (on theright in FIG. 1) has its own upper seating 34 and the surface 29 (on theleft in FIG. 1) has a relative upper seating 36.

On the contrary, considering the lateral face 20, its surface 35 has itsown lateral seating 43 and the surface 37 has a relative lateral seating45. In the same way, for the lateral face 22, the surface 39 has alateral seating 47 and the surface 41 has a lateral seating 49.

According to a variant, it may be that only one of the two lateral faces20 or 22 has the relative seatings 43, 45 or 47, 49, whereas the otherlateral face is flat.

The lower face 14, instead, is in any case flat, that is, the insert 25is flush with the two parts 24 and 26, as can be seen in FIG. 1.

The depth D of the lowered seatings 34, 36, 43, 45 and 47, 49 withrespect to the associated support plane R, R1, R2 is directly correlatedto the thickness of the layer of mortar 40 that is normally laid on theblocks 10, when the wall is made.

In this case, the lowered seatings 34, 36, 43, 45 and 47, 49 have adepth of 13 mm.

The embodiment of the lowered seatings 34, 36, 43, 45 and 47, 49 solvesthe problem of laying the mortar 40 and of the heat bridges that formfollowing said laying, but without using complicated strategies as inthe state of the art.

Indeed, the lowered seatings 34, 36, 43, 45 and 47, 49 completelyaccommodate the necessary quantity of mortar 40, without the latteroverflowing laterally, and covering the visible parts of the inserts 25.

Indeed, the operator will be able to fill, quite easily, the loweredseatings 34, 36, 43, 45 and 47, 49 to the necessary level with aquantity of mortar 40 that is already the precise and predeterminedamount, thanks to the depth D correlated to it, but without laying themortar also above said lowered seatings 34, 36, 43, 45 and 47, 49.

In other words, the lowered seatings 34, 36, 43, 45 and 47, 49 act asseatings or channels to contain the mortar 40, holding it back andconfining it laterally, at least on the side where there is the insert25, but in any case allowing it to perform its proper functions as abinder element to the other elements 10 that are gradually put on top(FIGS. 3 and 3 a).

In this way the mortar does not cover the inserts 25, keeps thecontinuity of the insulating material along the whole perimeter of thewall and prevents heat bridges from forming, due precisely to theinterference of the mortar 40, which would compromise the overall valueof thermal transmittance.

Thanks to this, it is certain that the block 10 satisfies the criteriaof thermal transmittance as laid down by the Legislative Decree 311/06of the Republic of Italy.

The schematic view in FIG. 3 a shows the stable connection between twosuperimposed blocks 10.

The upper face 12 of the block 10 below allows the lower face 14 of theupper block 10 to rest upon it, on the support plane R. The stableconnection is given by the layers of mortar 40 located in the seatings34, 36 of the block 10 below. The mortar 40 cooperates only with thelower surfaces of the parts 24, 26 of the block 10 above, and does notgo over the insert 25, nor is it disposed between two combined inserts25.

Since the blocks 10 are all the same and mating, both the inserts 25 andalso the parts 24, 26 cooperate only with the homologous components,inserts 25 and parts 24, 26 of the other combined blocks 10.

In FIG. 3 a it can be seen how, as the blocks 10 are superimposed andcombined, the mortar 40 is confined in the seatings 34, 36, and there isno unwanted physical connection or therefore any heat conduction betweenthe two parts 24, 26 of the same block 10. Each of the parts 24, 26 isconnected, by means of the mortar 40, only with respective parts 24, 26of the other, superimposed block 10 (this also applies, in the case oflateral combination of several blocks 10, to the lateral faces 20, 22).

We shall now consider a variant embodiment of the solution where theconstraint between the insert 25 and the parts 24, 26 made ofconglomerate material is achieved by means of the first swallow-tailedribs 28.

In this variant (FIGS. 5 and 6), the extension upward of the second ribs31 may not reach the level of the support plane R. For example, thesecond ribs 31 may arrive just below the support plane R, for exampleabout 3 mm.

It may also be that the second ribs 31 reach only the level of thebottom of the seatings 34, 36 (the level of the bottom is given by thedifference between the value of the height H and the depth D). In thislatter solution, the seatings 34, 36 are extended in width with respectto the previous solutions and extend transversely as far as the insert25, that is, until they comprise the space normally affected by theprotruding part of the second ribs 31. In this way, the inventionprevents thermal bridges due to direct contact, both upper and lateral,between the second ribs 31 of the blocks 10 superimposed or adjacent incombination with each other.

Another advantageous variant according to the present invention providesprotruding teeth 38 that project from the periphery of the upper face12, provided alternately, as can easily be seen in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. Theteeth 38 have a height equal to the value of the depth D of the seatings34, 36, and in this way are level with the support plane R and with theinsert 25.

In this variant, the weight of the superimposed blocks 10 is notconcentrated only on the insert 25, as would normally happen due to thefact that it protrudes, but is distributed on the teeth 38 too, whichsupport a part of it, having a more homogeneous support over the wholesupport plane R.

The teeth 38 substantially function as spacers and allow to dischargethe weight better, not only on the insert 25, of the blocks 10 restingone on the other, thus distributing better the load on the upper face12.

This is advantageous, especially during stacking in the warehouse, andprevents the inserts 25 having to support the great weight of the otherblocks 10 stacked above.

Furthermore, normally, the blocks 10 can be set down on site, before andduring the laying of the wall, with their upper face 12 facing down.

The presence of the teeth 38, in these situations where the block 10must be raised by the operator, facilitates grip by the operator on thesite, who can thus easily exploit hollows 51 that are created betweenone tooth 38 and the other.

Another advantage of the teeth 38 is that they can function as accuratereference notches when the blocks 10 are actually being laid.

Indeed, it will suffice to make the surfaces of the teeth 38 of the twoblocks 10 that are to be superimposed coincide flush, in order to obtainthe exact reciprocal positioning. This allows, in conclusion, a precisecoincidence of the position of the inserts 25 of the superimposed blocks10 and an overall greater accuracy in the alignment of the wall that isto be made.

The present invention also concerns a machine 110 for the production ofblocks 10 as described above.

In this case, the machine 110 is of the step-wise feed type in which,after a first group of blocks 10 has been made, the machine 110 depositsthese blocks 10 on the ground and is moved forward by one step.

The machine 110 substantially comprises (FIGS. 6 and 7) a mold 113 formolding the blocks 10, a mobile loader 115 for the inserts 25, a depositmember 116 for the conglomerate material, a thruster unit 117 forpositioning the inserts 25 in the mold 113, and a level 119 for scrapingthe molded blocks 10.

The mold 113 is open at the upper part and can be selectively closed onthe lower part by means of a plate 120 moved by means of an actuator121.

The mold 113 comprises internally a plurality of dividing walls 122 ableto define, in combination with each other, a plurality of moldingsectors 123, with shapes and sizes corresponding to the blocks 10 to bemade.

The mold 113 also comprises a vibration unit 124 that determinesalternating oscillations of the mold 113, so as to promote the completeand uniform deposit of the conglomerate material inside the moldingsectors 123, and close to the inserts 25.

The mobile loader 115 comprises a structure 125 on which are mounted apositioning tray 126, a drive member 127 and a unit 129 for the surfacefinishing of the molded blocks 10.

The positioning tray 126 is open both at the top and at the bottom andcomprises internally a plurality of positioning elements 130 withrespect to which the inserts 25 are able to be positioned so as toassume and maintain the correct loading position in the mold 113.

The positioning tray 126 is also mounted sliding with respect to thestructure 125 along an upper plane with respect to the mold 113.

In particular, the positioning tray 126 is selectively movable by thedrive member 127 between a first inactive position, in which it isclosed at the lower part by the structure 125 and inside it the inserts25 are positioned, by loading from above, with respect to thepositioning elements 130, and a second operating position in which it isopen at the lower part and is above the mold 113, so as to allow theinserts 25 to be loaded into the latter from above.

In this case, the drive member 127 provides a thrust rack 128,constrained directly to the positioning tray 126 so as to actuate themovement thereof from one of said two positions to the other.

The surface finishing unit 129 is mounted on the lower part of thestructure 125 and substantially comprises a rotary brush 131, which isable to brush the upper surface of the blocks 10 made, so as to definethe surface finishing thereof. The rotary brush 131 can be madesubstantially of any material, such as for example metal, plastic orothers, having sufficient mechanical characteristics for abradingconcrete and polystyrene.

The deposit member 116 comprises a hopper 132 and a mobile frame 133,and is disposed in a position substantially opposite the mobile loader115, with respect to the mold 13.

The hopper 132 is of the substantially traditional type and will not bedescribed in detail here.

The mobile frame 133 is substantially co-planar with the positioningtray 126 and is open both at the lower part and at the upper part.

The mobile frame 133 is selectively mobile by means of a relativeactuator 135 between a first inactive position in which it is closed atthe lower part and is under the hopper 132 so as to be loaded with adeterminate quantity of conglomerate material, and a second operatingposition in which it is open at the lower part and is above the mold113, so as to allow to deposit the conglomerate material from above intothe mold 113.

In the second operating position of the mobile frame 133, the vibrationunit 124 causes the mold 113 to vibrate.

The level 119 is mounted on one side of the mobile frame 133 andprotrudes below it with a scraper edge 136, so as to contact the uppersurfaces 27, 29 of the inserts 25 positioned in the mold 113.

Both the mold 113 and the scraper edge 13 are shaped in a manner matingwith the desired shape of the lowered seatings 34, 36 and the loweredseatings 43, 45 and 47, 49 that are to be obtained above and laterally,in this case therefore with two lateral portions that extend for alength equal to the depth D, separated by a window of greater size,mating with the protrusion of the insert 25.

In this way when the mobile frame 133 is taken from its second operatingposition to its first inactive position, the scraper edge 136 moves in aco-planar manner above the mold 113 so as to shape the upper surfaces27, 29 and lateral surfaces 35, 37 and 39, 41 of the blocks 10 still inthe mold 113, and thus define both the lowered seatings 34, 36 and alsothe lowered seatings 43, 45 and 47, 49.

Advantageously, the level 119 is mounted in adjustable manner on themobile frame 133, so as to be able to vary the operating depth thereof,according to the actual height of the inserts 25.

The thruster unit 117 is disposed above and coaxial with the mold 113 ina raised position with respect to the plane on which the positioningtray 126 and the mobile frame 133 move, so that the latter, in therespective operating positions, are positioned in height between themold 113 and the thruster unit 117.

The thruster unit 117 comprises a comb element 137 that is movablevertically by means of a vertical actuator 139 and, when the positioningtray 126 is in its second operating position, is able to selectivelythrust, from the top downward, the inserts 25 inside the respectivemolding sectors 123 of the mold 113.

The thruster unit 117 is also able to accompany the release movement ofthe blocks 10 at the end of their molding in the mold 113.

The comb element 137 of the thruster unit 117 has peripheral ends shapedmating with the shape of the protruding elements 38 that are to be madeon the external edge of the upper face 12 of each block 10, so that inits movement downward, it also molds said protruding elements 38.

In this case, the machine 10 comprises a movement unit 140, only shownschematically in the drawings, which is associated with the mold 113 soas to determine the vertical movement thereof toward the ground, whenthe molding of the blocks 10 is finished. In this way, the blocks 10 arerested carefully on the ground, substantially without being damaged andkeeping a desired orderly disposition.

The machine 110 as described heretofore functions as follows.

The initial condition (FIG. 7) of the machine 110 is with thepositioning tray 126 and the mobile frame 133 in the respective firstinactive positions, and the mold 113 closed at the lower part by theplate 120.

Then the inserts 25 are loaded between the positioning elements 130 ofthe positioning tray 126, while the hopper 132 is loaded with theconglomerate material that is then deposited in the mobile frame 133(FIG. 8).

Subsequently, the positioning tray 126 is taken to its second operatingposition above the mold 113.

Then the thruster unit 117 is activated (FIG. 9) so that the combelement 137 pushes the blocks 10 from above downward, inserting theminto the respective molding sectors 123. In this step, the thruster unit117 also molds the protruding elements 38 on the periphery of the upperfaces 12 of each block 10.

Then the positioning tray 126 is moved toward its first inactiveposition, and simultaneously the mobile frame 133 is moved toward itssecond operating position.

In this condition, the mobile frame 133 deposits the conglomeratematerial in the mold 113 (FIG. 10), while the positioning tray 126 isloaded with other inserts 25.

The deposit of the conglomerate material in the mold 113 is facilitatedby the vibration made by the vibration unit 124, so as to promote thecompacting and penetration into the interstices defined by the shape ofthe inserts 25.

Then the mobile frame 133 is returned to its first inactive position. Aswe said, in this step the level 119 scrapes the surface of the blocks 10in the mold 113 so as to shape the upper face 12 and the lateral faces20, 22 (FIG. 11) and achieve both the lowered seatings 34, 36 and alsothe lowered seatings 43, 45 and 47, 49.

The mold 113 is then moved toward the ground by the movement unit 140,and the comb element 137 is lowered so as to separate the blocks 10 fromthe mold 13 (FIG. 12) and deposit them on the ground.

The machine 110 then advances by one step and the above operating cycleis repeated (FIG. 13).

During the advance of the machine 110, the blocks 10 that have just beenformed are surface finished by the rotary brush 131.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts and/or stepsmay be made to the structural element for the building trade, themachine and the method to make it as described heretofore, withoutdeparting from the field and scope of the present invention.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been describedwith reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the artshall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms ofstructural element for the building trade, the machine and the method tomake it, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and henceall coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A structural element for use as a brick,construction block, panel or floor, the structural element comprising:two spaced-apart parts made of conglomerate material; and a whole singleinsert block made of insulating or filling material constrained betweenthe two parts made of conglomerate material for thermally insulating thetwo parts from each other, the insert block occupying substantially theentire space between the two parts made of conglomerate material, saidinsert block defining peripherally an upper connection face, an opposedflat lower face, and lateral connection faces extending generallyperpendicularly to the flat lower face, a first surface of the insertblock of said upper connection face being flat and level with a heightof a support plane and being configured for directly cooperating onlywith a lower face of a second structural element, said two parts made ofconglomerate material including two spaced-apart seatings each extendinglongitudinally and lowered with respect to the support plane, eachseating receiving a layer of binder material, said seatings beingconfigured with a depth with respect to the support plane, said depthbeing generally equal to a predefined thickness of the binder materialto be laid in a predetermined amount, said thickness of the layer ofbinder material being laterally confined in said seatings and intendedto define a flat surface flush and continuous with said first surfaceand said support plane, and a plurality of protruding parts formed onthe spaced-apart seatings of the two parts made of conglomeratematerial, at least a portion of each protruding part being formed at anoutermost periphery of one of the two parts made of conglomeratematerial such that the plurality of protruding parts are referencepoints when stacking more than one of the structural elements, eachprotruding part having a height level with the support plane, a heightof each protruding element being equal to the depth of the seatings, theprotruding elements being disposed in pairs.
 2. The structural elementas in claim 1, wherein the insert block and the two parts made ofconglomerate material have on their periphery a plurality of respectivefirst anchoring ribs and second anchoring ribs able to cooperate withmating first longitudinal grooves and second longitudinal groovesprovided respectively on faces of the two parts made of conglomeratematerial and of the insert block, so as to achieve constraint of theinsert block and the two parts made of conglomerate material.
 3. Thestructural element as in claim 2, wherein the second anchoring ribs ofthe two parts made of conglomerate material extend in height keepingbelow a level of the support plane by a determinate amount.
 4. Thestructural element as in claim 2, wherein the second anchoring ribs ofthe two parts made of conglomerate material extend as far as a level ofa bottom of the seatings so that a space occupied by said seatingsextends at least as far as a wall of the insert block made of insulatingor filling material.
 5. The structural element as in claim 1, whereineach part has through holes made transverse to the seatings along aheight of the structural element.
 6. The structural element as in claim1, further comprising: a plurality of through holes formed in the twoparts of conglomerate material, each through hole being aligned with andspaced inwardly from one of the protruding parts.
 7. A combinationcomprising: a whole insert block made of insulating or filling material,the insert block being constrained between two spaced-apart parts madeof conglomerate material in order to make a structural element for useas a brick, construction block, panel or floor, the insert blockoccupying substantially the entire space between the two parts made ofconglomerate material, said insert block, when constrained between saidtwo parts made of conglomerate material, defining peripherally an upperconnection face, an opposed flat lower face, and lateral connectionfaces extending generally perpendicularly to the flat lower face, afirst surface of the insert block of said upper connection face beingflat and level with a height of a support plane and being configured fordirectly cooperating only with a lower face of a second structuralelement, said two parts made of conglomerate material including twospaced-apart seatings each extending longitudinally and lowered withrespect to the support plane, each seating receiving a layer of bindermaterial, said seatings being configured with a depth with respect tothe support plane, said depth being generally equal to a predefinedthickness of the binder material to be laid in a predetermined amount,said thickness of the layer of binder material being laterally confinedin said seatings and intended to define a flat surface flush andcontinuous with said first surface and said support plane, and aplurality of protruding parts formed on the spaced-apart seatings of thetwo parts made of conglomerate material, at least a portion of eachprotruding part being formed at an outermost periphery of one of the twoparts made of conglomerate material such that the plurality ofprotruding parts are reference points when stacking more than one of thestructural elements, each protruding part having a height level with thesupport plane, a height of each protruding element being equal to thedepth of the seatings, the protruding elements being disposed in pairs.8. The combination as in claim 7, further comprising peripherally oninternal or external walls a plurality of first anchoring ribs, andcorresponding first longitudinal grooves, able to cooperate respectivelywith mating second longitudinal grooves and second anchoring ribs thatare achieved on the two parts made of conglomerate material in order toachieve constraint of the two parts made of conglomerate material andthe insert.
 9. The combination as in claim 8, wherein the firstanchoring ribs have sizes in height such that the second anchoring ribsof the two parts made of conglomerate material extend in heightremaining below the level of the support plane by a determinate amount.10. The combination as in claim 7, further comprising: a plurality ofthrough holes formed in the two parts of conglomerate material, eachthrough hole being aligned with and spaced inwardly from one of theprotruding parts.